Dutch term – Veer or Veerpont

18 September 2017 by Leave a Comment

A veer or veerpont is a ferry.

If you can’t find a person, try looking in the records on the other side of the ferry. People living on one side of the river may have normally used a ferry to go to church, but if the ferry was out during the winter or bad weather they might have had to go to another church to have their children baptized. People could have used the ferry to go to a market on the next island, and perhaps met a spouse there.

If your ancestor was a ferryman, you may find an appointment by the local government in town records.

city with a river and ferry in front

View of Grave, with a ferry in the front, 1679. Credits: Gaspar Bouttats, collection Rijksmuseum (public domain)

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About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, MLitt, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist, writer, and lecturer in the Netherlands. She has a Master of Letters in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee, and holds the Certification of Genealogist and Qualified Genealogist credentials. Yvette served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists and won excellence awards for her articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly. Yvette has been doing genealogy for over 30 years. She helps people from across the world find their ancestors from the Netherlands and its former colonies, including New Netherland. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

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